On October 24, the Armenian Catholic Mesrobian High School celebrated the Holy Translators Day in an imposing ceremony.
Gathered in the courtyard of the school and in front of the monument of St. Mesrob, Mesrobian’s students presented a carefully prepared artistic program, paying tribute to our holy fathers of the 5th century, who laid the foundations of Armenian writing and literature.
The opening speech was delivered by Hagop Terzian, a Grade 12 student. The students of the Kindergarten performed the ‘A.B.C.’ and the ‘Who am I?’ songs, then recited the ‘Mesrob Mashdots’ poem. The Small Swallows Choir performed the ‘Alphabet Song’, then the Elementary students performed in four different groups with recitations entitled ‘My Armenian Language’, ‘Armenian Alphabet’, ‘Mesrobapuyr’ and ‘Canto to the Armenian language’. Serly Moughalian (organ), Jean-Pierre Vartanian (guitar) and Kevin Solakian (organ) presented musical pieces. Alex Levonian performed two songs accompanied by Hagop Terzian (Dehol) and Mark Gulgulian (organ) whereas a group of Grade 7 and Grade 8 students presented a reading about the Translator's Day. At the end, the Swallows Choir performed the ‘We sing in Armenian’ song under the direction of Mr. Manuel Keshishian.
The speaker of the ceremony, Rev. Father Sebouh Garabedian, pastor of the Holy Cross Church parish, summarized the essence of the Translator's Day in three main points, saying: “First, it is the commemoration of the invention of Armenian letters that were given to us by God through Saint Mesrob, and we owe to keep and preserve them according to their divine value. Second, this is the commemoration of the translation of the Holy Bible on the hands of the holy fathers of the Golden Age and thanks to which God spoke to us and we had the opportunity to speak to Him in our native language. Third, this is a celebration of the Armenian language which showed its supreme beauty to the world through the translation of the Holy Bible which the whole world accepted and recognized as the Queen of Translations.”
Father Sebouh observed that for Armenians, language is the strongest sign of identity. Therefore, we must preserve it if we want to preserve our national identity and live as an independent nation. Our own language is the tool of our liberation with which the chains of darkness of the mind and of ignorance were broken, and the Armenian mind was awakened, giving humanity bottomless intellectual and spiritual treasures. The language was and remains the main guarantee of the unity of the Armenian nation and its consolidation strengthens all of us whereas its absence made us always suffer defeats and exposed us to disasters. Father Sebouh considered it necessary for the Armenian children to be the rightful heirs of the Holy Translators, to be like them lovers and spreaders of the Armenian language, and moreover, to become the translators of the Armenian thought in their environment and thus translate and introduce the Armenian identity and values to the children of other nations.
At the end of the ceremony, Mr. Gregoire Kaloust, the Principal of Mesrobian High School, addressed the students saying that the statue of St. Mesrob standing in the main yard of the school is a presence that inspires national breath, spirit and thinking to the students who came today once again to confirm that they remain firmly attached to their Armenian identity. Let's vow that we will forever remain faithful to the Mesrobian tradition, that we will always speak, sing and pray in Armenian and live as true Armenians, always keeping the Armenian name magnanimous everywhere, said Mr. Kaloust.
During the week preceding the Translator's Day, students of Mesrobian's elementary section and kindergarten performed various activities.